Texas House Democrats Remain Holed Up

APRIL CASTRO

Published
7:00 pm CDT, Tuesday, May 13, 2003

Associated Press Writer

Republican members of the Texas House reconvened Wednesday but could not conduct legislative business because they lacked a quorum while 51 rebellious Democratic lawmakers remained holed up in a motel in Oklahoma.

Democrats on both sides of the border hailed the absent lawmakers, who fled in part to block debate on a congressional redistricting bill that would favor Republicans.

But Republicans castigated their absent colleagues for the growing heaps of bills in jeopardy of not being passed.

"We want our colleagues back," Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who presides over the Senate, told reporters before the GOP House members convened Wednesday. He said lawmakers are only days away from completing "a historically successful session" that will balance the state's budget without a tax bill, despite a $9.9 billion shortfall.

The House Republicans quickly adjourned to move into committee hearings, which are allowed without a House quorum as long as a majority of a committee is present.

"Texans need to know that this partisan disruption will not stand in the way of the greater good," Perry said Wednesday. He said he has not been considering calling a special legislative session after the regular 140-day session ends June 2.

Democrats blame the standoff on the GOP's attempt to redraw the state's U.S. congressional districts, a process dictated every 10 years to reflect population shifts found in the U.S. Census.

Texas already has a court-drawn redistricting map, but Republicans say it doesn't reflect state voting trends and want to redo it. Their plan could add five to seven GOP House seats to the 15 the Republicans already have.

From their motel in Ardmore, Okla., the Democrats blamed U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay for the shutdown of the Texas House of Representatives.

"We have a message for Tom DeLay: Don't mess with Texas," said House Democratic Legislative Caucus leader Jim Dunnam. "We did not choose the path that led us to Ardmore, Okla. Tom DeLay chose that path."

In Washington, DeLay mocked the Democratic legislators. "I have never turned tail and run," DeLay said. "Even when I'm losing, I stand and fight for what I believe."

Three Democrats returned to the Capitol on Tuesday but Republicans were still denied a quorum without at least 100 of the 150 members present. Four other Democrats remained unaccounted for.

When 58 of the 62 Democrats didn't show up Monday, House Speaker Tom Craddick ordered state troopers to arrest the missing lawmakers and bring them back. House rules allow for the arrest of members who intentionally thwart a quorum.

Texas troopers located the missing legislators but have no authority to make arrests outside Texas. Oklahoma authorities greeted the Democrats with big smiles and warm handshakes Tuesday.

"We're here to let them know we support them," said Harvey Burkhart, sheriff of Carter County, Okla. "Nothing's going to happen to them here. I can tell you we're certainly not going to put them in jail."

According to House rules, the deadline for preliminary votes on House bills is Thursday. After that, it would take a favorable vote by two-thirds of the House to get legislation to the floor for a vote. Missing the deadline would delay several major bills, including a budget-balancing government reorganization proposal.

Perry has lambasted the Democrats for fleeing to Ardmore, about 30 miles north of the Texas state line and about 270 miles due north of Austin.

"By taking refuge in Oklahoma, they are silencing debate on important issues, undermining our system of democracy and running out on millions of everyday Texans who are depending on their representation," Perry said in a statement Tuesday.

But Rep. Pete Gallego, a Democrat, said his party had shown a remarkable degree of unity, a sign that the redistricting issue was important to Democratic lawmakers.

"The reality is we hope the legislative leadership will take note of our position and will work with us in resolving what brought us to today," Gallego said from Ardmore.